Labeling apparatus



Oct. 7, 1952 c. OUELLETTE 2,513,008

LABELING APPARATUS FiledOct. 31, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. f @7g/a0 BY 'fa-M ,72M

C. OUELLETTE LABEVLING APPARATUS Oct. 7, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 3l, 1950 INVENTOA Oct. 7, 1952 C, QUELLETTE 2,613,008

LABELING APPARTUS Filed 001;. 3l, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Oct. 7, 1952 C, QUELLE-[TE v 2,613,008

LABELING APPARATUS Filed OCT.. 5l, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Oct. 7, 1952 LABELING APPARATUS Clarence Ouellette, Springfield, Mass., assignor to Wrap-King Corporation,v

West Springeld,

Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application October 31, 1950, `Serial No. 193,222

This invention relates to improvements in labeling apparatus. i

The principal objects of the inventionare directed to the provision of labeling apparatus which is constructed and arranged for use as a* unit or in conjunction with vother apparatus such as a wrapping machine or the like.

The apparatus of the invention is characterized by its adjustability whereby labels of various sizes and shapes maybe affixed to objects of various sizes and shapes.

As a special feature of the invention, the lowerx'nost one of a stack of labels is removed from the stack to an applicator which applies the label to an object and transports said label past means for the action of heat to condition the adhesive. Y

As another feature of the invention, means is provided for` detecting the'presence of an object to be labeled so that, in theV absence of an object,v a label is not removed from the stack.`

`All of the above objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangements of parts thereof, as will fully appear by-a perusal of the description belowv and by various specific features which will be hereinafter setforth.

A" Ic the above `cited andother ends and with thel foregoing and various othernovel features and advantages and other objects of my inventionas will become more readily apparent asthe description proceeds, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in thecombination and arrangementof'fparts as will beA hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the claims hereunto annexed and more fully described `of o ne of the guides for supporting labelsinl stacked relation; v

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevational view on the `line 5`75 of Fig'. l;

'Fig 6 is a diagrammatic elevational view to explain the cooperative action of the labelpicker and applicator; and

Figs. 7' and 8 are plan and elevational views` of an object having a label ailixed ythereto. ac-` cording to the invention.

' Referring now to the drawings more-:in detail, theinvention will be fully described.

AA conveyorfor presenting successive objects to the apparatus for labeling` is provided and in the form of'` the apparatus to be shown and Vdescribed. it is supported by said conveyor.

3 claims. (01.216455) A `pair'of elongated transversely spaced side rails 2 form the basis of the conveyor. These support. in` any convenient manner horizontally disposed elongated object supporting plates `4L i which have inner longitudinal edges spaced apart.

A bracket 6 extends between the.` siderails 2 and is secured thereto in any suitable manner,

. seeyFigs. 2 and 3. A transverseshaft 8 is rotata-` ble in the bracket. 6 and forward side `rail and a rear conveyorshaft I0 is rotatable in the side: rails. as shown in Fig. 2.

A forward conveyor shaft l2 is rotatable in the side rails 2, see Fig. 3, and said shaft andthe shaft, lll carrysprockets I4` and I6. disposed in the longitudinal slot. I8. between adjacent inner edges of members 4. i y j An` endless conveyor chain I9 is in engagement with the sprocketsl4` and I6 which carriesl pushers 2l in spaced relation therealong.

Sprockets. 20 and `22 are carried by shafts 8 and l0 which are operably connected by a chain 24. j

Either shaft 8 or I0. may be driven by any'suitable means sothat the upper run of chain moves inobject conveying direction to the left in Figs. I. and.` 2.. `Successive objects to be labeled placed on members 4 are conveyed to` the left by the pushers.

. The objectsstonbe labeled may take various forms` but -for purposes of `description may be cir-y cular as at126. in Figs. 7 and 8. i

Rods 30 extendverti'cally upwardly from the wheel4 46 fixed on thefupper end of the screw is provided with la manually engageable member 4'8. A bracket 50 isfsecured to the front wall of the;` housing and has pads 52 on opposite ends.

Plates 54.l are slid'able back and forth onthe'padsand are slotted at` 56. `Binding screws 58 are in threaded engagement with the pads 52 for securing the platesA in adjusted positions. Label guides 60 are fixed to the plates 54 and extend vertically',

as shown.

-A`bracket t2` has its rear end, secured tothe front wallof vthe housing and extends forwardly.

therefrom and has alabel guideA 64 xedtherelV toand extending vertically therefrom.

`The lower `ends of the label guides 60 and,

64 are providedl with lips' as clearlyshown in Fig. 4. Astack of labels vL between theguides..

moved from the bottom of the stack for applica'- i tion to successive objects. y i

A shaft is oscillatable in the housing and has an arm 12 fixed on its forward end. v A suc-A tion cup 14 iscarried by the outer end ofarm 12 and is connected by a flexible tube 16 which extends through an opening 18 in the front wall of the housing, see Fig. 2. The tube 16 is connected to a control valve 18 secured in thevhousing, see Fig. 5. Said control valve 18 is connected to a source of suction which may be avacuum pump or the like. i

The valve 18 is a shut off valve having a plunger 80 projecting therefrom which has a valve member cooperating with a seat to close the valve. A spring urges the valve member towards its seat and the plunger outwardly. As the stem is moved inwardly the valve is opened against the spring so that the suction cup is connected to the source of suction. 'I'he valve may vtake any of the well known normally closed forms. The tube 16 `is omitted in Figs. 1 and 3 for clearness.

- As the shaft 10 is oscillated the arm 12 is swung between upper label engaging position shown in Fig. 2 and lower postion shown in Fig. 6. -With they suction cup 14 connected through valve 18 to suction a lowermost label is engaged and swung downwardly to the applicator. i

- Avertical shaft 80' is rotatable in the housing and depends therefrom so as to be rotatable in bracket 6 and slidable therein accordingly as the housing is moved up and down.

A gear 82 in which said shaft 80 is slidable and non-rotatable is in mesh with a gear 84 fixed on shaft 8. Said shaft 80 is splined at.86 and a key, not shown, in gear 82 permits the shaft to slide in gear 82, see Fig. 3. x

A'transverse shaft 88 is rotatable in the housing and bracket 62 and gears `90 fixed on said shafts 88 and 86 operatively connect them. As shaft B isgrotated shaft 88 is rotated thereby, see Fig. 3. v

A lever 92 is xed to shaft 10 and its lower end is connected at 94 to the outer end ofan eccentric arm 96 which encircles an eccentric hub 98 fixed to shaft 88, see Fig. 5. lAs shaft 88 rotates lever 92 is swung back and forth whereby suction cup arm 12 is swung up and down.

It isv desired that the suction me'ans'becomeV inoperative in the event there is no objectpresented by the conveyor for labeling.

To that end a detector |00 is provided.

A shaft |02 is oscillatable inthe housing and has an arm |04 fixed thereto which Vcarries a roll |06 -on its outer end, see Figs. 1 and 2.

A member |08 onv the shaft |02 Within'the housing has an upstanding lug ||.0. An adjusting screw ||2 in threaded engagement with the wall 38 of the housing is provided whereby the shaft |02 is limitedinswinging movements clock-Y has a plate |22 on its lower end for engaging'y the shoulder IIB. An upper end portion |24 of lever ||8 carries an adjusting screw |26 engageable with the member 80 of valve 18 and a spring |28 between said lever portion |24 and a transverse bar 30 of the housing tends to swing lever ||8 counterclockwise to move a roll |32 on said lever into engagement with a cam |34 fixed on shaft 88.

I In Fig. 5 the plate |22 is disengaged from shoulder |6 as member |4 is swung downwardly by an lobjectpassing beneath roll |06 of the detector.

The cam |34 is so arranged in this position of the parts to actuate lever ||8 so that plunger 80 of valve is depressed and the suction cup subjected to suction for engaging the lowermost label of the Stack thereof.

Inthe absence of an object to be labeled the roll |06 and arm |04 swings downwardly to bring lug against stop screw |2 and member |4 to upper position where plate |22 abuts shoulder ||6. The roll |32 of lever ||8 is held from olf the cam so that itwill not swing counterclockwise and open valve 18. l n

Thus in the absence of an object to be labeled and through the suction cup arm 12 may be swung upy and down the suction cup 12 will not engage alabel unless there is an object to receive the label. l

An applicator drum |40 is xed to shaft 88 and has a circular peripheral surface |42. A longitudinal bar |44 has side portions |46 pivoted at |48 tothe drum and carries an elongated plate |50 having a rather sharp forward edge |52.

Pins |54 carried by side portions |46 are connected by a spring |56 which urges the bar |44 and plate |50 counterclockwise on the drum to engage the edge |52 of the plate |50 onto a plate |58`of the drum. ,Y

A cam |60 has a hub |62 held in the bracket 62 by a set screw |64 and a roll |66 on the forward side portion 46 is in engagement with said cam.

The before-mentioned spring |56 urges thev member |44 counterclockwse so that roll |66 rolls around the cam |60 which is non-rotatable but adjustable by means of set screw |64. TheI said cam is arranged whereby when the drum is in label receivingv position the member |50 at its forward edge-engages. a label between it-and member |58'kas shown in Fig. 6.

The drum |40 is rotated clockwise to carry a label on the surface |42 thereof past the curved surface |10 of a heater device |12.

The forward edge of a label being gripped between members |50 and |58 said label is more or less wrapped around the surface of the drumsc asV to be drawn across the surface |10 of the heater. u

The label on the side outermost from the drum v will carry an adhesive substance which is softened by heat. The object to be labeled is moved along beneath the rotating drum so that'the label having the softened or tacky adhesive is rolled onto the object the cam |60 being formed to bring about release of the label by members |50 and |58 as the label is applied to the objects.

Side guides for guiding .objects along the supports 4 may be secured to the rails 2 by brackets |82.

The heating device may include a housing having electrical resistance units therein which `are adapted or controlled to provide that temperature adapted to soften and Arender tacky theparticular adhesive carried'by the labels.

operates to convey successive objects to be wrapped to the leftin FigjZL 'lhe drum rotates clockwise to receive successive'labels'gfor 'applying them to the objects and moving them past the heater; i

The arm 'l2 swings upand `d own to remove the lowermost label from the Astack and present it to the drumi` The detector :mechanism operates `to prevent the suction cup from engagingla-label in the absence of an object to be labeled it being i and purview and range of equivalency of the appended claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:`

1. Unitary self-contained apparatus for applying labels adapted for securement to a conveyor for conveying successive objects comprising, rods extending vertically upwardly from said conveyor, a housing slidable up and down on said rods provided with a front wall and having means for moving said housing up and down, a drum shaft extending through and rotatable on a horizontal axis in said front wall having a label receiving and applying drum fixed thereto forwardly of said wall, a vertically extending guide fixed to said Wall having a lower end above said drum. a pair of separate vertically extending movable guides and means adjustably connecting said guides to said front wall, said iixed and movable guides cooperating to provide a chute for a vertical stack of horizontally superposed labels with a leading edge of a lowermost label adjacent said drum, a shaft oscillatable in said front wall, a lever fixed on said oscillatable shaft forwardly of said front wallhaving a free end provided with suction cup for engaging and transferring a lowerrnost label of a stack therefrom and presenting and releasing a leading edge thereof to said drum, means for rotating said shaft and drum in label applying direction, operative connections between said drum and second-named shafts for oscillating the latter for swinging said arm between label engaging and releasing positions. said drum provided with relatively movable means for engaging a label presented thereto and for releasing the same, a bearing fixed to lsaid front wall in which said drum shaft is journalled having a cam fixed thereto for operating said label engaging means as said label drum rotates, said drum having a surface concentrically disposed relative to its axis of rotation for supporting a label engaged by said' movable means, anda heater fixed to said front wall having an inner surface complemental to that of the label supporting drum and closely adjacent thereto for heating a label as it is moved therepast by said drum.

2. Unitary self-contained apparatus for applying labels adapted for securement to a conveyor for conveying successive objects comprising, rods extending vertically upwardly from said conveyor, a housing slidable up and down on said rods provided with a front wall and having i 6 means lforimoving said housing `up andidowma drum shaft-flefxtending :through i and rotatable.` on

a horizontalaxis insaid-gfront wall having `a=label receivingflandapplying drum fixed theretoiforrwardly of said lwall,` i a` vertically extending guide fixed' to said walllhaving a lower end abovesaid drumi al lpair vof vseparateffvertically `extending movable `guides and meansadjustably connect:- ing Vsaid. guides'to said frontwall, said fixed, and movable guides cooperating to `provide a chute for a vertical nstackiof horizontallyJsuper-posed labels with aileading edgeofwa 4lowermost -label adjacent said'drum; awsha'ft oscillatable inrsaid front wall, a lever fixed'v onrsaidoscillatable shaft Y forwardlyi of: saidV front `wallshaving `a free 'end provided-with suction cupi fonv engaging and transferring a lowermost label of a stack therefrom and presenting and releasing a leading edge thereof to said drum, means for rotating said shaft and drum in label applying direction, operative connections between said drum and second-named shafts for oscillating the latter for swinging said arm between label engaging and releasing positions, said drum provided with relatively movable means for engaging a label presented thereto and for releasing the same, a bearing fixed to said front wall in which said drum shaft is journalled having a cam fixed thereto for operating said label engaging means as said label drum rotates, said drum having a surface concentrically disposed relative to its axis of rotation for supporting a label engaged by said movable means, and a heater fixed to said front wall having an inner surface complemental to that of the label supporting drum and closely adjacent thereto for heating a label as itis moved therepast by said drum, said relatively movable means including an elongated member fixed to said drum and a member hinged to said drum coacting therewith to engage a label.

3. Unitary self-contained apparatus for ap, plying labels adapted for securement to a conveyor for conveying successive objects comprising, rods extending vertically upwardly from said conveyor, a housing slidable up and down on said rods provided with a front wall and having means for moving said housing up and down, a drum shaft extending through and rotatable on a horizontal axis in said front wall having a label receiving and applying drum fixed thereto forwardly of said wall, a vertically extending guide fixed to said wall having a lower end above said drum, a pair of separate vertically extending movable guides and means adjustably connecting said guides to said front wall, said fixed and movable `guides cooperating to provide a chute for a vertical stack of horizontally superposed labels with a leading edge of a lowermost label adjacent said drum, a shaft oscillatable in said front Wall, a lever fixed on said oscillatable shaft forwardly of said front wall having a free end provided with` suction cup for engaging and transferring a lowermost label of a stack therefrom and presenting and releasing a leading edge thereof to said drum, means for 4rotating said shaft and drum in label applying direction, operative connections between said drum and secondnamed shafts for oscillating the latter for swinging said arm between label engaging and releasing positions, said drum provided with. relatively movable means for engaging a label presented thereto and for releasing the same, a bearing iixed to` said front wall in which said drum shaft is journalled having a cam fixed thereto for operating said label engaging means I assaidlabel drum rotates, said drumvhaving a mental .to that of the labelsupporting drum and closely adjacent thereto for heating a label as it is moved therepast by said drum, a shut-ofivalve adapted to be connectedgto a source orfvsuction having a member movable between open and closed positions of the valve and connections between said Valve and said suction cup. operating means oscillatable in said housing for engaging and operating. `the movable member of said valve and a cam xed on said drumA shaft for engaging and actuating said operating means,

8 and means controlled by objects to be labeled arranged to control the engagement of said cam and operating means.

CLARENCE OUELLETTE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent: s'

UNITED STATES PATENTS Lyon et a1 oct. 24,1959 

